


Families

by padfootagain



Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 10:03:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17262236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/padfootagain/pseuds/padfootagain
Summary: You and Ben have been together for a while now, and It’s time for you to meet his family. And well, It’s only fair he gets a fright meeting yours too after that, right?





	1. His Parents

**Author's Note:**

> This series is complete, I hope you like it!

You were terrified. You were beyond nervous, you were completely terrified. You had been playing with keys for a while now, jumping on your seat from time to time as Ben drove towards Wimbledon.

“Love, you really have to relax,” he said, looking at you for a few seconds. “You’re making _me_ nervous.”

“The fact that you’re driving on the wrong side of the road doesn’t help me to relax though,” you replied, childishly sticking out your tongue at him.

“You’re cute,” he smiled.

“Why can’t you drive on the right side of the road like most people do?” you asked, starting as a car appeared on your right.

“I guess it’s just that British like doing things their own way.”

You both laughed, and he took your hand in his.

“It’s gonna be just fine,” he said, his tone reassuring. “You’re gonna meet my parents, and they’re going to love you.”

“How can you know that?” you replied, holding tightly his fingers. “What if they don’t like me? What if they think I don’t deserve you? What if…?”

But he shushed you, releasing your hand and pressing his palm to your mouth.

“You’re talking bullshit. My parents are lovely people, and you’re a lovely person. They’re going to love you.”

“Are you sure?” you asked, pouting, your voice shushed by his large hand.

He let out a laugh, his fingers moving to your cheek.

“Of course I’m sure. I love you, which means that my family will love you as well.”

You couldn’t contain the little smile that formed on your lips.

“I love you too,” you said softly, his hand leaving your cheek so he could guide the car towards the left, but you knew he was listening closely to you even if his dark eyes were focused on the road before him. “I reckon it’s normal to feel nervous about meeting your parents. Especially the day of your birthday.”

“Why is it more difficult for you today than any other day of the year?”

“Because it’s your birthday! I don’t want to spoil everything.”

“I thought we had agreed about that,” Ben replied, an amused smile on his lips. “We’re trying to shush the whole thing down. I didn’t age this year.”

“Of course, sorry, I forgot. How old are you supposed to be again?”

“How old would you say I am without a beard?”

You laughed.

“Wouldn’t want to hurt your ego.”

“That was pretty painful already.”

Without a warning, Ben parked the car before a little house. You couldn’t help but think that it looked much like the typical English house that you had seen in travel magazines.

Ben looked at you.

“Are you ready?” he asked, his deep voice warm and soothing.

“If I say no, will you take me back to the airport so I can go back to L.A. and crawl under my warmest blanket so I can hide there forever?”

“I’m afraid not,” he shook his head, chuckling. “I reckon that I would simply drag you into the house anyway.”

“Well… It was worth a try.”

He intensely stared at you, his dark eyes never leaving yours as he took your hand in his again, suddenly serious.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” he said.

“Ben…” you tried to reply, rolling your eyes, but he interrupted you.

“No, I’m serious,” he went on. “I want you to meet my family because you want to, not because you feel like you’re forced to…”

“You’ve never made me feel like I was forced to do anything, Ben,” you reassured him, losing your fingertips in his beard. “I want to meet your family. And I want you to meet mine. We’re ready for this step, I know we are. I’m just… nervous and… I’m scared to do or say something wrong and then your parents won’t like me and…”

“Y/N,” he interrupted you again, laughing. “You’re the sweetest girl I’ve ever met. Just be yourself, and I promise you that everything is going to be just fine. Just take a deep breath… and relax.”

You smiled, leaning to kiss drop a sweet peck on his lips.

“Let’s do this,” you nodded.

He smiled, and you both walked out of the car and to the little house.

You advanced towards the blue door as if you would find your doom beyond the wooden surface. So Ben took your hand, remaining silent, but the comforting squeeze he gave your fingers was enough to make your heart slow down.

He knocked on the door.

And you wished you could just… vanish.

But instead, you forced a smile as Ben’s mother opened the door. A grin appeared on the face of the blond woman before you as she opened her arms to her son.

“Oh… Ben,” she breathed, holding him tightly against her. “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks mum,” Ben said, still imprisoned in her arms.

“How are you? How was your flight?”

“I’m fine, and the flight went well,” Ben laughed, finally freeing himself from his mother’s embrace.

He turned towards you again, as you were still waiting on the threshold, an hesitant smile on your face.

“Mum, this is Y/N,” he said with a proud grin. “Y/N, my mother, Tricia.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” you said, shaking Tricia’s hand.

“The pleasure is all mine, Y/N,” the elder woman answered with a warm smile. “But come inside. Jack is trying to help your father to prepare a barbecue, after all it’s a lovely weather we have for your birthday, Ben. But you know your father when it comes to this damn barbecue…”

She guided the two of you across the living room, and you drank in the warmth that oozed from every inch of the welcoming house, breathing deeply the sweet scent of lavender that spread across the room.

You walked into the little garden, full of flowers and sun. A table was set in the middle of the green grass, and just a few feet away two men were bickering.

“Dad, why don’t you want to listen?”

“I’m the one who should be giving you advices about this, not the other way around.”

“Oh… for fuck’s sake…”

“Language, Jack!”

Ben cleared his throat, his father and brother quickly turning towards the two of you.

“Happy birthday!” they both cried, hurrying to give Ben a warm hug.

“We prepared a barbecue, what do you think?” his father asked.

“I think you and Jack are crushing me,” Ben laughed.

“Well, that’s your fault,” Tricia replied, while Ben was finally freed. “You don’t come see us often enough. The last time we saw you, it was for Christmas!”

“I was working,” Ben protested.

“Don’t try to find yourself excuses.”

He rolled his eyes, an amused smile on his lips, before turning to you once more.

“This is Y/N,” he said, and you could see that his proud glint was back in his eyes as he introduced you to his family. “This is my younger brother, Jack.”

You shook hands with the young man before you.

“And this is my father, Thomas.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” you said, knowing that you were smiling too much but anxiety prevented you to unlock your jaw.

“Oh no, no, no, no…” Thomas protested. “We’re not that old yet. Thomas and Tricia will do just fine.”

“Okay,” you nodded, blushing.

You all sat down around the table, and you were asked the usual questions you had been expecting… what was your job? Where did you come from? Did you have any siblings?… all the classical things.

Until…

“And so… for how long have you been together again?” Tricia asked, although you could hear in her voice that she was preparing another question for you, probably different and yet bonded to this simple interrogation.

“For almost a year now,” you answered, and Ben and you exchanged a smile.

“Why the hell did you wait for so long to bring her here?” Jack asked his brother, nudging him.

“I didn’t want her to be scared of my crazy little brother,” Ben replied, chuckling, before drinking some red wine.

“And… no problem for now? Between the two of you I mean?” Tricia asked slowly.

But Ben answered before you could, rolling his eyes.

“I’m sure your work is one of the reasons why you give the best advices in the world, but mum, please… just for today… don’t think like a therapist. Please. Consider this as your birthday gift to me, okay?”

“I am merely asking if you had any tensions so far. It’s very important to speak about whatever may be happening in your relationship,” she added, turning to you, advising you now instead of asking questions. “Dialogue is very important, and it is one of the pillars for a life-long relationship. That… and sex of course.”

“Mum!”

Ben blushed fiercely, while you merely chuckled, drinking some red wine as well.

“It’s true, and there is no taboo around this able,” Tricia replied. “So… everything alright there?”

“Oh… shit…” Ben muttered, his cheeks flushed, running a hand across his face.

“Come on, Tricia,” Thomas came to the rescue. “You’re embarrassing him.”

She merely rolled her eyes in response.

“We’re all living in the 21st century…”

“Mum, please, drop it,” Ben begged.

But you patted his arms playfully.

“It’s all right,” you reassured him. “Stop turning into a tomato.”

You all laughed, and the conversation went on smoothly until you finally reached the moment for Ben to enjoy his birthday cake. And after the three of you had sung a very out of tune happy birthday to Ben, and he had blown out all the candles on the cake… it was finally time for gifts.

You had already offered him his gift, a first edition of a book you knew he loved (plus some wild night under the sheets, but you didn’t tell his parents about that, especially after the Tricia incident).

And his parents had bought him a brand new tennis racket (although again, nor you nor Ben mentioned that you were the one who broke his former tennis racket in the first place). And his brother arrived with a little box in his hands.

“Well, actually, as we’re meeting your girlfriend today,” Jack said slowly. “I reckoned that we should give her something. So I prepared this for her.”

You blushed fiercely, and Ben grinned at his brother. He encouraged you to unwrap your gift. It had the rectangular form of a shoe box.

And indeed, once you had torn the paper apart, an old shoe box was revealed to your eyes.

But Ben gasped next to you, his eyes wide, turning a horrified glance towards his brother.

“You didn’t do that…” he breathed.

“How many times did you introduce one of your girlfriends to us again? She deserves to learn all your most embarrassing secrets,” Jack smiled a devilish smile.

You and Ben exchanged a glance, before you would hurry to open the box.

He groaned, burying his face in his hands.

“Jack, you’re a dead man,” he breathed.

“Oh come on, Ben…”

“Oh my God!”

They all turned to you as you picked up a black and white photo of a teenage boy with dark hair.

“Is that you?” you asked.

Ben merely moaned, hiding his eyes again.

“You were rather cute,” you said, laughing.

“Here… I’m dead,” Ben breathed.

He looked up at his parents.

“And you let him embarrass me like this?! Really?!”

But the truth was, his parents were laughing as well.

“It’s just a joke,” Thomas calmed his son down.

Ben groaned again, turning to his younger brother.

“You know, I’m the older brother here, which means that _I’m_ the one who’s supposed to torture _you_. Not the other way around!”

“Oh… Ben…”

He turned to you again, as you were laughing like mad.

“You’re so cute on this one!”

You showed him the photo you had found, and he couldn’t help but laugh as well this time.

He was just a child on the photo, riding a poney in a bright pink neon jacket…

“I’ve lost all credibility, forever…” he laughed.

“You have to tell her about the story,” Jack said, nudging his brother. “About Narnia.”

“Oh no, no, no…” Ben protested.

But you knew how to break his will.

And you used your secret weapon, pouting and doing these very cute puppy eyes of yours that made his heart melt every single time.

“I was auditioning for Caspian,” Ben said, and you listened eagerly to his story. And they asked me ifÂ  had ridden a horse before. And in order to… get the part, I said that I had and that I knew how to ride and everything. Which was obviously not true.“

You started to chuckle already.

"And I actually remembered being on a horse so I called my mum to ask her to confirm that I hadn’t completely lied and that I had ridden a horse before. And she said that I had. So my conscience was more peaceful for a while, until she showed me this picture as a proof of my riding experience. Which was basically half an hour on the back of a Shetland poney.”

You were all laughing now, even Ben, who didn’t seem to mind so much about being laughed at anymore.

“And that’s how you got the job, right?” you asked.

“Yep. Thanks to a Shetland poney and pink neon jacket.”

You looked at the rest of the photos, listening to the funny stories that went with them. And you felt lucky to be where you were at this precise moment. You felt lucky to be surrounded by these people. You felt lucky to have a man like Ben in your life to love you and share every part of his life with you, even his most ridiculous anecdotes.

Then the cake was eaten, and tea was drunk, and the afternoon quickly flew by to leave the five of you in a golden light with a fresh breeze passing across your hair.

You helped Jack cleaning up the table and dishes, and as you were with him in the kitchen, your hands in the warm water kept the sink, cleaning up a plate while Jack was drying a glass, you overheard a conversation between Ben and his parents. They were still in the garden, but as you had opened the window just above the sink to let some fresh air enter the house, you could hear their voices from where you stood.

“So… What do you think about her?” Ben asked his parents. “She’s brilliant, isn’t she?”

Your heart stopped, and you froze, your hand still buried into the warm water, holding a spoon.

It was the moment that would seal your fate…

“She seems to be very kind,” Tricia said.

You heaved a sigh.

Kind was most definitely good…

“And very smart,” Thomas added.

You smiled, washing the spoon again.

“And… she seems to love you very much. Just like you seem to love her very much as well.”

“I do,” you heard Ben’s deep voice answer. “I do love her.”

Your smile turned into a grin.

“She doesn’t seem to care about you being an actor, which is great,” Thomas went on. “She’s not with you because she’s looking for a famous man, it’s obvious.”

“I know. I trust her,” Ben nodded.

“Are you happy with her?” Tricia asked, although, judging by her tone, she already knew the answer.

“I’m happier than I’ve ever been,” Ben confessed, and you felt tears appear in your eyes.

Next to you, Jack had been looking at you and listening to the conversation in silence, drying the now clean spoons and forks you handed him.

“Are you going to meet her parents as well?” Thomas asked his son.

“Yes, when we get back to California. We’re staying here for a week, and then we’ll plan everything.”

“And how do you see your near future with her?”

Ben softly laughed, a shy laughter that was exactly the sound of his reddening cheeks.

“I’d like to ask her to… move in with me, actually.”

You gasped.

“We’ve been together for ages, I love her, I… I have no doubt that she’s the one. So I reckon I should stop playing it safe and taking my time. I think we’re both ready for this step.”

You grinned, resting a hand on your heart.

But you started when Jack spoke loudly next to you.

“I think that’s a yes from the little woman over here!” he told his brother.

You blushed fiercely, and even more so when Ben leaned against the wall next to the window so he could look at you, a grin on his face.

“What do we have here?” he said. “A pair of eavesdroppers?”

“It’s not my fault if you’re loud,” you replied, your cheeks burning.

He looked down at the ground.

“So… if you heard everything… what’s your answer? Would you like to live with me?”

He looked up at you again, shrugging.

“We already spend all our time together, and you’ve stolen a fair share of my wardrobes already anyway.”

You nodded.

“I think we should do that,” you said softly, your voice barely audible, although you knew he heard you, as his grin proved.

“What did she say?” Thomas asked from afar.

Both you and Ben laughed, while Jack was sharing your answer with his parents.

“She said that she wanted to live with him! Clearly she never did, or she would know it’s hell to live with him…”

Ben rolled his eyes.

“Don’t listen to him,” Ben told you. “He’s just jealous because I already stole the perfect girl, and he’s still single.”

“Thank you for reminding me that…”

“You’re the one who called for a war with these pictures.”

“Not my fault if you’re ridiculous most of the time…”

You all laughed, and Ben walked into the house, giving you a tender kiss, as to seal the deal you had agreed on. As if he wanted to make sure that this was real.

You left late that night, promising Ben’s parents that you would come see them again before leaving London.

You heaved a relieved sigh when you let yourself fall onto your seat in the car you had rent for the week, Ben laughing next to you.

“So… it went well,” Ben smiled, starting to drive away from his parents’ house.

“It did go well,” you admitted.

“They didn’t skin you alive, or torture you…”

“They’re very kind. Just like you are.”

You exchanged a smile.

“I told you they would like you. And I knew you would like them.”

“I do like them.”

“So… are you disappointed to have come here with me?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Wonderful!”

A mischievous smile appeared on your lips.

“Well… I guess that it’s your turn to meet _my_ family now.”

He heaved a sigh.

“You really do have a talent to torture me, don’t you?”

You both laughed, driving throughout the empty streets as night had taken away the traffic from the dark roads.

And you couldn’t wait to be back in the US to introduce Ben to your family…


	2. Your Parents

“So… who is the one who is nervous like hell now?”

Ben let out a groan next to you, making you laugh.

“I’m not nervous,” he replied, mumbling under his breath.

“Why are you crushing my thigh then?”

He immediately took his hand away from your leg.

“Sorry,” he breathed.

“Ben, relax. It’s gonna be alright.”

“I know it’s gonna be alright.”

“Stop biting your nails then.”

He shifted on the passenger’s seat next to you and you laughed at him again.

“My family is adorable,” you said. “Everything is going to be alright.”

“I know. I know, I know, I know…”

“Stop saying 'I know’,” you laughed once more.

“The last time I did something like that was…” he seemed to search in his memories, before wincing. “Better not try to remember, that was too long ago.”

“It went well?”

“Not really.”

“What happened?”

“Apparently the 'actor thing’ was not really… good.”

He suddenly turned towards you.

“You think it’s gonna be a problem?”

You rolled your eyes.

“As you are famous and constantly working… no, it’s not going to be a problem.”

“Good… good, good, good, good…”

“Ben…”

“Sorry. Did you tell them who I am?”

“Of course. My mum would have had a heart attack if I hadn’t.”

“Right…”

You finally parked the car before your parents’ house. You could hear the laughs of your nieces and nephews even from inside the car. You guessed that your family was in the garden.

“You’re ready?” you asked Ben, taking his hand in yours.

He nodded, giving you a reassuring smile.

“I love you,” he said softly.

“I love you too.”

You leaned across the car to kiss him, before you would both climb out of the vehicle.

It smelled like barbecue and cooked tomatoes, and you smiled as the scents reminded you of your childhood. You didn’t bother to knock, knowing that the door would be open, and you walked inside the house, calling for your mother and holding Ben’s hand as you guided him to the garden.

All your family had already arrived, or at least the part of your family you wanted Ben to meet had gathered in your parent’s house. Your parents were there of course, but your grandmother was here too, along with your sister, your brother and their children. You smiled at the sight of your merry family all gathered together.

Your mother finally spotted you and Ben as you walked out of the house.

“Y/N! Here you come. Right on time, we were just waiting for you.”

Your mother hugged you, before turning towards Ben.

“Oh, and you must be Ben then,” she said with a warm smile, offering your boyfriend her open palm.

“I am indeed,” Ben answered, offering your mother his most charming smile. “It’s really nice to meet you, madam.”

“Maggie will do,” she laughed, and Ben nodded, blushing slightly.

Before you could reach the table and introduce Ben to your family, you were suddenly attacked by your two young nephews and your niece who hugged your legs.

“Aunt Y/N!” they all shouted, jumping in joy at your sight.

“How are you all, my monsters?”

You took care at kissing all of them, before turning towards Ben.

“That’s Ben,” you told the children. “This is Luis, Arthur and Lucy.”

“Hi Ben!” they all greeted him, giggling.

“Hi guys,” Ben smiled.

They laughed, before running away across the grass.

“Don’t mind them,” you smiled, taking his hand again to guide him to the table, where you family was already sitting, staring at you and your boyfriend.

“They look full of energy,” he smiled, looking at them as they ran through the grass.

“They are,” you nodded, laughing.

You introduced Ben to your sister and your brother-in-law, then to your brother and your sister-in-law. Your grandmother was instantly seduced by Ben’s bright smile and smooth voice and she didn’t try to hide it.

“Well… you did pick up a handsome one!” she said in your ear, looking excited.

You merely winked at her in response, before turning to your father.

You felt Ben’s hold on your hand tightening slightly, but his wide smile didn’t falter for a second.

“So, this is my dad, Lance. Dad, this is Ben.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, sir,” Ben smiled, shaking your father’s hand.

“It’s very nice to meet you as well, Ben.”

Your father was smiling but both Ben and you could feel that he was rather cold. After all, he had always been protective towards his children, and especially when it came to their love lives. You winced at the memory of what he had done to the first boy you had brought home…

“Sit down, both of you, sit down,” your mother said, and Ben took place around the table between you and your sister.

Ben finally noticed the crib behind him and your sister.

“Our daughter is sleeping,” your sister explained.

“I see. How old is she?” Ben asked.

“She’s just barely a year old. She’s starting to stand up now, she can almost walk.”

“That’s wonderful!”

“Well… it means that she moves all around the house, crawling on the floor… it’s a bit complicated.”

“I can imagine.”

“So… Ben,” your father called for your boyfriend, and Ben immediately turned towards him. “Y/N told us that you were an actor, is that right?”

“I am indeed,” Ben nodded.

“And you’re working right now?” your father asked.

“I’ll start a new project in a couple of weeks,” Ben nodded.

“And I guess that you must be travelling a lot because of your job, right?”

“Quite a lot, yes.”

“Hmm…”

Ben shrugged, feeling that your father was not convinced.

“It’s the job,” he said with a smile.

“And… do you struggle to find roles or… you’re quite fine?”

“No, I reckon I’m quite lucky,” Ben reassured him. “It’s very rare that I spend more than a few weeks without anything to do really.”

“Right,” your father nodded, apparently reassured on this point.

You and Ben exchanged a smile.

The meal went smoothly, Ben being his adorable self, and your family seemed to quickly enjoy his company.

And as you realized that everything was going just fine, a grin formed on your face, and it never left your lips as you ate your vegetables.

You were about to eat the dessert when the baby woke up, and her mother went to keep the little girl on her knees for a while.

The blond girl seemed obsessed with the idea of standing, struggling to place our little feet on her mother’s laps. Once she had found a more comfortable position, the baby looked around her, and she spotted Ben’s unfamiliar face. She didn’t seem afraid at all though, even if he was just a stranger, as she stared at him. He smiled back at her, and she extended her little arms towards him, signaling that she wanted him to hold her.

“No, you’re not going to bother Ben,” her mother admonished, holding her child closer to her, and dropping a kiss on the baby’s forehead.

But the little girl started to cry. By now, all the conversations around the table had died out and everyone was looking at the crying baby.

“Lisa…” your sister sighed, before turning towards Ben. “Would you mind?”

“Err… I guess not,” Ben answered, his voice hesitant, and an uncomfortable smile on his face.

But your sister ignored Ben’s hesitations and handed him her baby. He took the child clumsily in his hands at first, letting the little girl rest her feet on his thighs as he held her up with both his hands so that she was standing on his knees.

She immediately stopped crying, and looked at his face with an intrigued expression, her blue eyes shining with curiosity. She extended her little hand towards his face, and he let her reach for his beard. She giggled at the feeling of his tickling beard under her fingers.

He let out a low chuckle.

“Yep, that’s a beard, sweetheart,” he told the baby.

She laughed, clapping her hands together, apparently delighted, and everyone around the table let out a tender laugh.

She touched his beard again, laughing like mad.

The conversations slowly resumed, as Ben was still holding the baby girl, letting her play with his beard.

“Clearly I’m not the only one who loves your beard,” you said, shifting on your chair to rest your chin on his shoulder.

“Perhaps you should be worried,” he teased.

“Really? You would choose my niece over me?” you said faking outrage.

“Look how cute she is,” he replied.

“Right… I can’t deny it,” you smiled, looking at the child.

You rested your head upon his shoulder, watching the laughing baby. The little girl’s hand landed on Ben’s lips this time, and he opened his mouth wide and closed it, faking to eat her hand. She laughed harder than ever.

“You seem to have your way with kids,” your grandmother told Ben.

“Well… I don’t know,” he answered, blushing.

“Would you like to have some?”

“Hey!” you protested, but the elder woman merely shrugged, and looked at Ben.

“I guess,” Ben said, letting out a chuckle. “One day, sure.”

The baby played with his beard again, running her hands in it and giggling at the tickling sensation.

“I bet you would be a wonderful father,” the elder woman nodded.

“I hope so,” he smiled.

The little girl yawned, and extended her arms to Ben. He held her closer to him, letting the baby rest against his chest, grabbing a handful of his dark T-shirt. She yawned again, and closed her eyes.

In less than five minutes, she was sleeping again.

“I guess my chest must be comfortable,” Ben joked as your sister noticed that her daughter was asleep.

You nodded.

“It is comfortable,” you told him with a playful smile.

He chuckled.

“So, if my career as an actor comes to an early end, I can still try to find a job as a pillow?” he asked, joking.

“No, you can’t,” you replied, your voice tender.

You leaned to whisper in his ear.

“'Cause you’re _my_ pillow. And I don’t share my man.”

He smirked as you kissed his cheek.

“How selfish of you!” he teased.

He stood up to put the baby back in the crib behind him, and your sister seized the occasion to give you a wide grin and a wink.

Clearly she liked him, and she wasn’t the only one, judging by the looks your mother sent you.

“And so you met his parents?” your mother asked you while Ben was sitting by your side again.

“When we were in London, yes,” you nodded.

“Did it go well?”

“I think so…” you said, turning towards Ben, a grin on your face.

“It went very well,” he nodded, giving you a tender smile.

“So… what’s the next step now?” your sister asked with a mischievous smile.

Ben and you both laughed, slightly blushing.

“We… might be looking for a flat,” you mumbled, raising your glass of wine to your lips.

“Oh… this is most definitely serious between you two then…” your mother smiled.

“It is,” Ben nodded.

You were both blushing hard and your family showed the two of you some mercy and didn’t insist further more… although you noticed your father’s strange stare, and you were not sure if it was a good sign or not.

Cakes were eaten and coffee and tea were drunk, and it was time to clean up the table. But your niece and nephews had other plans for your boyfriend.

“Could you play with us?” Luis asked, pulling Ben by the arm.

“Let me clean this first, okay?” your boyfriend answered.

“We’ll do that, keep an eye on them,” your mother told him.

“Alright,” Ben nodded, and he looked at the kids with a bright smile on his face, letting the three children pull him towards the grass.

When you walked out of the house again after having cleaned the plates with your brother, it was to find Ben running across the garden with the two boys, Lucy running after the three of them and laughing.

“Hurry! She’ll catch us,” he urged the two boys, faking to run as fast as he could when he was barely running at all.

The girl started to be a bit tired of running, so he intentionally slowed down, and she laughed as she grabbed his arm.

“Oh! You’re too fast for me!” he cried, making the girl giggle.

The two boys shouted, running towards him and jumping on him, making Ben fall backwards on the grass.

“Hold him down!” Luis cried, and Arthur and Lucy both sat down on Ben’s chest, while Luis was holding his legs.

Ben laughed, faking to try to stand, before letting himself fall back to the ground again.

“I can’t escape, you’re too heavy for me,” he said, panting from his laughter.

“Do you surrender?” Lucy asked.

“I do, I do surrender.”

“Let’s free him then,” the girl proposed to her brothers.

“We should use this as an advantage and tickle him!” Arthur replied.

Ben laughed again, looking at three young children.

Your brother leaned closer to you.

“I like him,” he whispered in your ear. “He’s good for you.”

You nodded. A smile was crossing your face, but somehow there were happy tears in your eyes as well at the sight of Ben playing with your niece and nephews.

“I know, he’s wonderful,” you told your brother.

“You might have found the right one,” your brother breathed cautiously.

You nodded again.

“I know I have.”

You exchanged a glance, before you heaved a sigh.

“Perhaps I should free him from your terrible children,” you told your brother, who merely laughed in response.

You walked towards the kids, who had now started to try to tickle Ben, although for now, they hadn’t found his weak spot.

“What are you doing to my boyfriend?” you asked, putting your hands on your hips and throwing the children a disapprobative look.

“We’re trying to tickle him!” the five year old girl answered, laughing.

“But he’s not ticklish at all,” Arthur complained.

“That’s because you haven’t found his weak spot yet,” you said, sitting next to Ben.

“Don’t you dare…” Ben warned you.

“Because you see, he’s only ticklish in one spot,” you said, staring at Ben with a mischievous grin.

“Where? Where?” the kids asked, jumping up and down in excitement.

“Don’t…” Ben warned you again.

“Right… Here!” you said, tickling his side, right under his ribcage, and Ben started to uncontrollably laugh, the children joining you and tickling him.

“Traitor!” he hiccupped, looking at you.

“Leave the poor man alone,” your mother admonished, laughing as she walked out of the house, and the children ran to their grandmother, leaving you and Ben alone.

He took a minute to find back his breath.

“You’re gonna pay for that,” he warned you.

You laid down on the grass to rest your head on his chest, and your hand stroked his torso softly.

“It was worth your vengeance,” you laughed.

Ben finally noticed that your entire family was walking out of the house again.

“We should get up,” he said.

But you shook your head.

“Come on, love. Your family’s back,” he insisted.

“But my niece was right, your chest is very comfortable,” you protested.

He let out a low chuckle.

You both started when your father called for Ben.

“Would you mind a word?” he told your boyfriend.

You both stood up immediately, and you threw your father a warning glance, while taking some grass away from Ben’s dark hair.

“Of course not,” Ben answered, and he followed your father inside the house.

You walked to the table again, a worried expression on your face.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine,” your sister reassured you.

“You think so?” you replied. “If dad gives Ben a hard time I swear I’ll kill him.”

“He won’t,” your mother winked at you. “He likes Ben.”

“Really?”

“Where the hell did you find this one?” your brother asked. “It most definitely changes from Mr. Lawyer that you brought us one day. I had never met someone as boring at this git…”

You couldn’t help but smile.

“That’s a long story.”

“Well, he seems to be great,” your sister nodded.

“I just hope dad doesn’t give him a hard time…” you sighed. “I’m not a teenager anymore for him to overprotect me like that.”

“But you’re our girl, and you’ll always be,” your mother replied, kissing your cheek.

You waited for Ben and your father to come back, worried. The last time you brought a man to your parents’ house, your father had been quite harsh.

But when the two men emerged from the house again, they were both laughing, your father patting Ben’s shoulder. And you grinned at the sight.

“Everything’s okay?” you asked them as they walked towards the table again.

“It’s okay,” your father nodded.

And you were on a little cloud.

When you left, your parents were eager to see the two of you again, and they insisted on you bringing Ben the next time you came to visit them.

The second you had left the street where your parents lived, now both you and Ben back in your car as you drove through the streets of L.A, Ben heaved a deep sigh.

“It went well, right?” he breathed, looking at you.

“I reckon it went more than well,” you laughed.

“Your family’s wonderful.”

“ _You_ are wonderful,” you smiled, taking his hand in yours.

He grinned.

“What did my father and you talked about?” you asked. “When you were alone in the house.”

Ben shrugged.

“I think he just wanted to make sure that I was honest with you.”

“What did he say?” you insisted.

“He asked me a few questions, about how we met, if I had been married, if I wanted to get married…”

“I see…” you said slowly.

“How I saw my future… this kind of things,” Ben added.

“And how do you see your future?” you asked, teasing.

But when he answered, Ben had a dreamy smile, and he was deadly serious.

“With you in it.”

You grinned.

“With you, me, a house and why not a few children running all over the place…” he said softly.

You looked at him, stopping at a traffic light.

You dived into his eyes, the same dreamy smile as his painted on your lips. And you knew he meant it. Every word of it. You couldn’t remember being as excited by anything in your life.

“Sounds like a plan,” you nodded.

He grinned.

“And you told my dad about all this?” you asked.

He nodded.

“And what did he say?”

“That he didn’t have any problem with that for now.”

Your grin widened. Ben shrugged.

“But he also said that he would cut off my balls if I ever hurt you in any way. Which sounds quite fair.”

You laughed, driving the car again.

“That sounds more like my dad.”

You were grinning, happiness oozing from every inch of your skin, and you were just… shining even more brightly than the sun. Ben stroked your cheek.

“I love you, Y/N,” he whispered.

“I love you too, Ben…” you breathed.

You parked the car before his home, and you turned towards him, staring at his deep brown eyes.

“I think… I think you’re the one,” you whispered.

He grinned, leaning to capture your lips into a tender kiss.

“I _know_ you’re the one,” he answered, resting his forehead against yours.

You both grinned, closing your eyes, and you remained there, sitting in your car for a long while, just enjoying the fact that you loved each other, and were ready to live a happy life together.


End file.
